Harry Potter: The Exchange Student Book 7
by nmyph13
Summary: When Elizabeth gets transfered to Hogwarts, she finds that things, and people, aren't what they seem. Also, while trying to keep up with Hermione and being friendly with other Griffendores, she finds love and friendship in the most unexpected places.
1. Chapter 1

Harry Potter: Book Seven

The Story of Elizabeth

_Chapter One_

Logan Airport Gate B was as filled and packed as it always was on the last few weeks of July. Business men and women who worked through summer vacation were heading through the lines, carrying their cappuccinos and their first class tickets to the place where they would have some big important meeting about the world's environment or world peace or most likely financial business. Vacationers who got a late start would be packing into some airline to the Bahamas or Florida or California or some foreign tourist land with lots of shopping malls, public beaches, cruises and crummy souvenirs.

Standing outside a sub-gate leading to an airline that brought vacationers and UN employees to the airport in London, England, there was a large family, wishing one of their own luck on her trip. A few of the children (there were quite a few) didn't look related and onlookers and passers-by assumed it was a few friends that joined the family in wishing their second daughter goodbye and good luck.

The girl, whom people were assuming was leaving, had an old cameo backpack with pins stuck into it with logos that read "Meat is Murder" and "Don't eat the cows, eat the tofu" and "God believed in creating everything equal, so that should include the cows that get made into hamburgers sold at the local McDonalds" and "Ronald McDonald is a psychopath who hates little children and kills innocent cows" and so on. Next to her was a large duffel and a large suitcase covered in stickers from all parts of the world. Another thing that was next to her was a large trunk, like the ones used in the eighteenth century, with the initials "EAP" on either side and atop it was a large brass, round-topped birdcage. Inside was a magnificent female barn owl; her head currently tucked under one wing. As the family said their goodbyes, the owl poked out her head to see how her surroundings had changed since she last was awake, then shoved her head back under in distaste. Apparently, this barn owl, like other nocturnal birds, hated large, noisy places, stuffed to the ceiling with noisy people.

The owl's owner, the girl, was skinny, in her late teens, and not quite tall, yet not vertically challenged either. Her long, brown hair, which shown like liquid gold in the late July sun, was currently in two French braids, one on either side of her head. Today she had on comfy stretch style boot-cut jeans, a green tee shirt with a V-neck, revealed the lacy navy cami, and black jacket from Roxy on top of all that. From what was visible under a skinny, long, red scarf on her neck was a gold locket, engraved with tiny flowers and vines. The only things she wore that seemed a bit out of place, beside the red scarf, was a red knit hat, almost like a beret and sparkly red ballet flats that looked almost exactly like the shoes Dorothy wore in The Wizard of Oz, without the heel. Otherwise, she looked like any busty, almost-seventeen-years-old, American teenager.

She hugged her parents one last time and kissed the tops of the heads of her two youngest brothers, hugged her other younger brothers and her twin, said "Bye" to her older brothers and lone older sister. She turned to her two friends; a girl with dirty-blonde hair and full lips and a tall, gangly boy with wavy brown hair. The blonde girl burst into tears, again, as her friend hugged her goodbye one last time.

"Maria," said the departing girl. "I'm not leaving you forever. Just for the year. I promise I will write everyday."

"Oh, it's not that," said the blonde, Maria. "I just will miss you so much!"

"I'll miss you, too," said the brunette. She turned to the boy and hugged him goodbye.

"Make sure she doesn't end up in tears every time my name is mentioned," she said. The boy nodded and she kissed him on the forehead. Then, she picked up her bags and brought them to the desk where they would make their way to the plane separately. As she turned towards the boarding decks with her cameo backpack and owl, she looked back one last time to see her family and friends waving at her. She waved back at them and walked on the plane.

It was a seven-hour flight to the London airport. The girl spent this time reading, listening to music and sleeping. Her backpack held a wide array of books and magazines. Most magazines were National Geographic's, but there were a few tabloids and a couple of recent fashion magazines. The books contained volumes of romances and fantasies, but there were some brown leather-bond books that looked to be college textbooks, with strange titles like _Standard Book of Spells, Grade 7_ and _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ and _Advanced Guide to Transfiguration_. When the plane finally landed in London, she was halfway through a book called _Hogwarts: A History_.

She got off the plane and saw the London airport before her. She had never been in a foreign country before. _Well, England can't really be considered foreign, really, they all speak English, _she thought, _and I shall not be scared. I, Elizabeth Annabella Porter, will do just fine._ _I hope._

Elizabeth got her duffel, suitcase and trunk from a luggage cart and went through the customs office. They questioned the big, leather-bound books in her bag, but said no more. Stepping out of the airport, Elizabeth haled one of the many taxis and told the driver to head to the train station. The driver had a hard time getting her trunk into the back. When he asked what was in there that made it so heavy, she said that there were only a few personal items and clothes it there. The driver also questioned her no further.

"One ticket on the next train to St. Ottery, please," Elizabeth said to the ticket woman when she got to the train station. The lady handed her a ticket and took the money from Elizabeth. She thanked the ticket lady and put her things on the luggage cart. She looked on her ticket, reading the platform number and headed for the said platform. Elizabeth hurried; it was almost noon and the train left at 12:02. Elizabeth stopped for a moment, then found a ticket man and asked him where her platform was. Then, finally and after a lot of running, she got on the right train and settled in for the thirty minute ride. She hoped she wouldn't be late for lunch at her grandmother's.


	2. Chapter 2

_Chapter Two_

She arrived at the St. Ottery station and got off with some difficulty. After throwing her duffle and suitcase out the door and dragging her trunk and owl down after, Elizabeth heaved everything towards a near-by bench and sat down. _I better call Grandma_, she thought and groped in her backpack for her cell phone. After dialing the country code and area code, Elizabeth remembered two things; 1) Grandmother Green didn't have a phone and 2) The phone charges would cost a fortune if Grandma did. Elizabeth sighed and threw her phone back into her bag.

"Are you Elizabeth Porter?" The speaker was a tall, slim woman, who wore a flowery halter sundress. She had a small nose and large hazel eyes, framed by black locks that wrapped around her plump cheeks and ended at her pointed chin. Apparently, she either appeared out of nowhere or just rounded the corner.

"Yes, I am," Elizabeth replied.

"Oh good," replied the wide-eyed woman; she actually looked like she was Elizabeth's age. "Because your grandmother sent me to pick you up from the plane. She thought you were to arrive around one and sent me to get you. You see, she can't get around as quick as she used to."

"Oh," said Elizabeth. She knew Grandma was old, but she was pretty active when she last saw her eight years ago.

"Well, then," the woman said. "Come along. Mustn't keep Mrs. Green waiting." She grabbed Elizabeth's suitcase and one end of the trunk. Elizabeth grabbed the other end and her backpack and duffle and followed the woman in the sundress, with the owl's cage balanced on top. They had gotten halfway to Grandmother Green's house when the woman forgot that she didn't introduce herself.

"I am so rude!" she said. "I'm Mary Ann Welsh. My father owns the general store that we just passed."

"Nice to meet you," said Elizabeth. "I'm Elizabeth Porter, but you already knew that."

"How old are you, Elizabeth?" Mary Ann asked. Stunned at this question, Elizabeth took a moment to respond, but before she could say anything, Mary Ann said: "I know this might be an awkward question to be asked upon meeting someone, but I need to know."

"Uh," said Elizabeth, "I'm seventeen, well, almost. My birthday is on the thirty-first of July, so in a week or so."

"Oh, yes! Your grandmother mentioned that. We are holding your party in the meadow on the day."

"Oh. Grandma didn't tell me that."

"Well, it was supposed to be a surprise, but Mrs. Green was going to tell you right out, well, after you passed through her door."

"Well," said Elizabeth. "why did you want to know my age?"

"I wanted to know because my father is searching for another employee for the general store. You see, he doesn't actually work there (he's a lawyer in London, good one, too) and my brother, Gregory, went to college recently. Mother is off on another book tour for her latest parenting novel (it's the new on toddler language skills) and I just can't run the store myself."

"Why do you have the store if your parents can't work in it?"

"Well, Mom doesn't get paid for every hour she spends at her typewriter and Dad can't support us and pay for Gregory's college fund. Also, we inherited it from my great-grandfather ten years ago and Daddy gets paranoid every time you mention his grandfather and the store in the same sentence, so we don't even dare bring up the subject in his presence."

"Oh, I see, but why ask me my age?" asked Elizabeth.

"Well, you will be staying her until your school starts and will be free for the rest of the summer. It was Mrs. Green's idea that I employ you, really, but I still want you to have your opinion to have value, too." Mary Ann was quite a talker.

"Sure, I'll work at the general store," said Elizabeth. "What's the employment age?"

"Eighteen, but it's just a general store. As long as you can do some math…."

"I started calculus last year, if that's good enough," said Elizabeth.

"Perfect, so we have a deal, then?" asked Mary Ann.

"Sure. When do I start?"

"Monday. Six hours a day sound good? The pay's seven pounds an hour."

"Uh," said Elizabeth. "is that good?"

"Very good for a general store worker."

"Cool."

"Well, here we are," said Mary Ann as they stopped in front of a small two story brown house. Elizabeth smiled as she remembered when she last saw her Grandmother's house eight years ago. Mary Ann knocked on the door twice and let herself in, calling out to whom vacated the house. Elizabeth followed.

The house smelled the same as the flowers in the garden just outside the house and vases all over the first floor were filled with the sweet smelling stuff. The tables they sat on were simple and wooden, as was most of the furniture. The couch and comfy chairs were all made out of a floral pattern, similar to the pattern of Mary Ann's dress. Clanking came from a doorway offside the front hall.

"Mary Ann, is that you?" said a woman's voice from amidst the clanking. It was soft and warm, like fresh bread that just made it out of the oven and had butter spread over every inch of it. Elizabeth loved this voice, one she remembered fondly. It was her grandmother's voice, one of the most wonderful sounds in the world to Elizabeth.

The voice's owner was woman who looked like she was made of bread and butter herself. She was a medium-sized woman with long silver hair, tied in a long plait that ran down her back. Her face crinkled with wrinkles, which stretched slightly every time she smiled. She looked like every thing that made up a loving grandmother.

"Elizabeth!" she said. "It is wonderful to see you after seven years!"

"Eight, Grandma," said Elizabeth. She went up and hugged her grandmother.

"Come," said Grandmother Green. "Let's have tea. You're welcome to join us, Mary Ann."

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Green, but I have to go. Father is going to be home soon, so I must get super on the table," said Mary Ann and left as she closed the door.

"Oh well, I guess it's just us," said Grandmother Green. "Come, I want to here about your mother and the rest of your family, especially your two new baby brothers."

Grandmother Green walked into the small, quaint kitchen. It was tidy and plain, like the rest of the house, with sweet smelling herbs in pots all over the counters. Rosemary and thyme were the strongest and the most abundant of all the herbs, and also came in through the open window, showing that it was also abundant in the garden, too. She pulled the teapot towards her and brought it to the sink to fill it with water. Grandma Green then put it back on the stove and turned on the burner. Elizabeth, meanwhile, sat down at the small kitchen table and just relaxed. The past two days had been spent traveling and made her so tired that she, if she could not to stop herself, could put her head on the table and before it got there, she would already be sleeping. Grandma Green brought over a steaming cup and presented it to Elizabeth. Elizabeth drank heartily and talked with her grandmother about her family and school and her friends and the rest of her life in Salem, Massachusetts.

Finally, Grandma Green said that Elizabeth should go and unpack before dinner, just to get settled in. So Elizabeth started to drag her things upstairs, when her grandmother said: "Aren't you old enough to use magic outside of school yet?"

Apparently, Elizabeth forgot that she was, in fact, a witch. Elizabeth, along with her family and most of her relatives, were magical folk, or more widely known as wizards and witches. Elizabeth smiled.

"Yes, Grandma, I forgot," she said. "Is Mary Ann a witch?"

"No, dear, she's a Muggle," Grandmother Green said. Muggles are non-magical folk.

"Are there any other wizards here in St. Ottery?" Elizabeth asked.

"A few families," her grandmother said. "I'm not friendly with most with them, though. Go unpack. We're going to dinner soon. We're having dinner with Mary Ann's family, well, her and her father."

"Okay," said Elizabeth. She pulled out a thin stick of wood (her wand; 13 inches, ash with a phoenix feather core), waved it whilst muttering "_Locomortor bags!_" Her bags rose into the air and she directed them upstairs. The guest room was small and simple like the rest of the house, with a double bed, desk and wardrobe. Elizabeth taped each of her bags. They opened and the contents flew into the air and into their proper spots. As things flew through the air, Elizabeth opened the window and let her owl, Amber, out with a letter home. She stared after the bird and sighed; _I guess I am a bit homesick,_ she thought. _Oh well, I will enjoy England and will be home before I know it._


	3. Chapter 3

_Chapter Three_

At six that evening, Elizabeth and her grandmother went over to the Welsh house hold. The night was a good one, but Elizabeth was grateful for the soft bed in her room when she got home. She was terribly jetlagged. Besides, she started work at the Welsh's general store the next day, so a good night's sleep would do everyone some good.

Next morning, Elizabeth woke to a tapping on her window. She got up and found Amber waiting patiently outside on the window ledge, holding a few letters. Elizabeth opened the window and the owl swooped in onto her cage. She handed the letters to Elizabeth, then went inside her cage and was asleep with her head under her wing in the next instant. Elizabeth was opening her letters.

The first one was from her family, saying that they were glad that she had gotten safely to Grandmother Green's house and in all one piece, bags and all. They also said they missed her a lot and wished her a good start at working in the general store.

The second letter was from Maria, Elizabeth's best friend, wishing that Elizabeth was back home and going to the same school. Maria also stated that she had done some research and found out that Harry Potter was probably going to the same school for witches and wizards as Elizabeth was going to in the coming fall. Harry Potter was a celebrity back home within Elizabeth's friends. Maria had a whole club, dedicated to Harry Potter and his wonderful fans (Maria and others in the club). The letter went on and on about how cool it would be if Elizabeth actually met Harry Potter while at school and got an autograph from him for his biggest fan in the world Maria. Elizabeth chuckled at this.

The last letter was from Cedric, Elizabeth's other best friend, saying that life was dull without her and that he was keeping Maria from going all ballistic on him every time he said something about England or Elizabeth. It had been his idea to remind Maria that Elizabeth was in the same country as Harry Potter and told her to go find out more to keep her occupied for a time. Elizabeth silently thanked him while reading this.

She caught sight of the clock and, discovering that she would be late for work if she didn't hurry, got dressed at the speed of light and ran down the stairs.

"Elizabeth, why the running and the hurrying?" Grandmother Green asked as Elizabeth grabbed some toast and coffee from the table, chugging the hot coffee immediately.

"I'm late," she replied after swallowing the coffee.

"Oh, well, have a nice day!" Grandmother Green called after her as Elizabeth grabbed her coat from a hook in the hall and her backpack of a table near the door, munching on the toast. Elizabeth ran out the door with a quick and stifled "Goodbye!" to her grandmother.

Elizabeth reached the general store just in time. Mary Ann greeted her with a happy "Good Morning!" and handed her an apron. Elizabeth took off her backpack and coat and stuck them under the front counter of the store. She then took the apron and threw it over her head and took up post at the cash register. Mary Ann went off to put things on shelves, leaving Elizabeth to read at the register.

It was almost midday when the store finally had customers. Elizabeth was halfway through one of her romance novels, when three boys came in, all with fiery orange hair. They were probably brothers. The two older boys were identical down to the last freckle. The younger boy was ganglier and more freckled than his brothers. He was tall, taller that his brothers, and had a large nose and ears. He looked to be Elizabeth's age, while his brothers looked two years older. The older brothers wore new looking jeans and polo tee shirts and the younger one wore worn jeans and a faded graphic tee with a cool abstract design.

Apparently, these boys had been sent by their mother to get a few things, or at least the younger one did. He went and grabbed a few things, along with milk and juice from a fridge, while his brothers came directly to the counter, walking up like they were the coolest people ever. Elizabeth looked up from her book.

"Can I help you?" she asked. The twins snickered.

"Naw, we're just looking for an exceptionally beautiful girl who works here," one of them said, smiling indulgently.

"Who? Mary Ann?" asked Elizabeth. Either that or these guys were hitting on her.

"Yeah, I believe that was her name," said the other twin. "Is she here?"

"Yes, she just went into the back right before you came in," Elizabeth said. "Should I go get her?"

"Naw, we can wait," said the first twin. "Anyways, we've been rude. I'm Fred and this is my brother George."

"Pleased to meet you," said Elizabeth, shaking hands with both twins. "Elizabeth, but you can call me Liz."

"Pleasure to meet you," said George. "Ah, here she is!"

Mary Ann returned from the back of the store where she was getting some more cans. She looked up at George's words and smiled at the twins. "Oh, hello!" she said as she greeted them. Fred and George started talking with Mary Ann at the other end of the counter, with side-glances and the occasional wink or smile towards Liz. Meanwhile, their younger came up, finished with shopping.

"Hey," Liz said as he piled things onto the counter. He looked up at her and nodded. As she rang up his groceries, he looked at his older brothers, now freely flirting with Mary Ann.

"Cheeky prats," he muttered under his breath. Liz heard him, but didn't comment on it. He noticed that she heard him, so he said: "Don't mind them; they're always like that."

"Oh, I can see that," she said.

"It is amazing that we're related," he said, sighing.

"You're related? I never knew!" Liz said sarcastically, but when he smiled, she smiled back. "I have older twin brothers myself. They can be a pain in the butt sometimes."

"Or all the time," he said. They both laughed.

"I'm Ron," the boy said. "I saw that you've already meet my brothers, Fred and George."

"Yeah," said Liz. "I'm Elizabeth, by the way. You can call me Liz."

"Pleasure," Ron said.

"Same," said Liz.

It was around then when Liz's book, _The Loved and the Loveless_, started to float off of the counter of where Liz placed it when Fred, George and Ron came in. Fred, George and Mary Ann kept talking and didn't notice, but just as it was about six inches of the counter, Ron said: "So, what book are you reading?"

"Oh, it's one of these romance novels I found at a CVS--" Liz began, but just then she was following Ron's gaze and turned to find her book floating at about eight inches and climbing. She slammed it back on the counter. Fred, George and Mary Ann turned their way as Liz made the sound and she smiled weakly ad they stared at her, puzzled. They returned to their conversation as Liz turned back to Ron.

"Tell me you didn't just see that," she asked him, fingering her wand at her waistband. She hoped she would have to use it, but just it case….

"No, I didn't see a thing," said Ron, avoiding Liz's gaze, but smiling slightly, as if he had known what she had done. He looked at her again and smiled.

"You're a witch, aren't you?" he whispered, looking at the hand Liz had at her belt.

"You're a wizard, then?" she whispered back leaning slightly over the counter, towards Ron. He smiled and she smiled back.

"Are you going to Hogwarts?" Liz asked. He looked her age, but with his height, he could be older.

"Yeah," said Ron. "my last year. Are you going?"

"Yes. On scholarship for my last year of school."

"Really? That's cool. Where you from? I haven't seen you before and your accent isn't British."

"Salem, Massachusetts. You know, in America."

"You're American?" asked Ron, wide-eyed. "Wow, never met an American girl before." Liz giggled.

"Hey, Ron!" said George. "Are you coming or not?"

"Yeah, I'm coming!" said Ron to his brother. He turned back to Liz. "Sorry, but I got to go. Nice to meet you, though."

"Likewise," said Liz.

"Well, I'll see you later, I guess," said Ron.

"I'd like that," said Liz and Ron followed his brother's out of the store.

"They are so cute!" said Mary Ann. "The younger brother is not too bad, but I like the older ones better."

"Yeah, they're nice," said Liz, returning to her book. She couldn't wait to talk with Ron more. Finally, another person just like her, another magical person. Liz wondered if Ron would be friends with her, but she knew the answer already.


End file.
